


The Un-Valentine's Day party

by Fooshi



Series: FerdiBert House Party [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Kiss, Fluff, House Party, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, rated t for very vague sexual references and drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 05:13:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30067182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fooshi/pseuds/Fooshi
Summary: Hubert wasn’t coming tonight. He knew Hubert wasn’t coming. Ferdinand could hardly get Hubert to come to a quiet movie night with their college friends, much less one of Claude’s full-on parties. And honestly, he was glad Hubert wasn’t coming. At least, he kept telling himself as much. Hubert was a grump through and through, absolutely no fun at parties. If he were here, he would probably just hug the wall all evening, nursing his drink or playing with his phone and not saying a word to Ferdinand.It was for the best that he wouldn’t be here tonight. Even so, Ferdinand instinctively scanned the room for him when he first came in. No Hubert. Which was good! Maybe not good, but it was fine. Perfectly fine.[ Ferdinand's perspective of the party, check our Hubert's perspective by WadaFics to get the whole story! ]
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester/Claude von Riegan mentioned
Series: FerdiBert House Party [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2210430
Comments: 5
Kudos: 48





	The Un-Valentine's Day party

**Author's Note:**

> This is my half of my collaboration with [WadaFics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WadaFics/pseuds/WadaFics) for the Ferdibert Gang Valentine's Day/ White Day Flash Bang event!
> 
> Wada is such an amazing writer and a pleasure to work with. She created a lot of the framework for this fic. Please, make sure to read her Hubert POV of the story [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/30047292), it's so good.

Hubert wasn’t coming tonight. He knew Hubert wasn’t coming. Ferdinand could hardly get Hubert to come to a quiet movie night with their college friends, much less one of Claude’s full-on parties. And honestly, he was glad Hubert wasn’t coming. At least, he kept telling himself as much. Hubert was a grump through and through, absolutely no fun at parties. If he were here, he would probably just hug the wall all evening, nursing his drink or playing with his phone and not saying a word to Ferdinand. Hubert was always at his best in small groups, even better when they were one on one. Like those late nights back at school when he would brew pot after pot of coffee while he and Ferdinand studied until dawn. Or, even better, when he had let Ferdinand show him a new teahouse downtown last week and their legs kept brushing under the table. Except that wasn’t a date. Ferdinand knew that wasn’t a date because tonight’s party was strictly for singles only, a post-Valentine’s Day party for everyone who didn’t have a date of the day itself. Which Ferdinand certainly had not. Neither had Hubert, he knew. So, as a single person, Hubert was technically invited. At least, he assumed Hubert had been invited.

But it was for the best that he wouldn’t be here tonight. Even so, Ferdinand instinctively scanned the room for him when he first came in. No Hubert. Which was good! Maybe not good, but it was fine. Perfectly fine.

“Looking for someone?” Lorenz had to raise his voice to be heard above the pounding music.

“You!” Ferdinand shouted and gave Lorenz an enthusiastic hug.

“A lie, but a kind one, so I’ll let it slide,” Lorenz replied. “Claude! Ferdinand is here!”

“I can see that,” Claude says as he saunters up to them. “You’re one of the first ones here.”

“I didn’t want to miss any of the fun!” Already, Ferdinand can feel the infectious party atmosphere thrumming through his chest. He wanted that slight buzz of alcohol in the back of his brain. He wanted a sheen of sweat on the back of his neck from dancing too hard. He wanted to laugh with friends he hadn’t seen in too long. “Where can I get a drink?”

“Everything’s in the kitchen.” Claude and Lorenz walked with him into the other room, even though Claude already had a beer in his hand and Lorenz was daintily swirling a glass of wine in his.

“What are you drinking, Lorenz?”

“Only the best!” Lorenz crooned. “I wasn’t planning on sharing it, but I know you’re a man of culture, so I’ll let you be an exception.”

Lorenz stood on his tiptoes to open one of the higher shelves that Ferdinand had assumed was off-limits to guests.

“Wait, is this  _ your _ best wine, or Claude’s?”

“It’s mine,” Lorenz confirmed. “I just keep it over here for late nights.”

_ Late nights _ , Ferdinand pondered, pretty sure he knew exactly what that meant. Lorenz and Claude used to hook up a lot in college. Judging by the way Claude was leaning lazily against the refrigerator, slowly sipping his beer and unashamedly ogling Lorenz’s ass as stretched up to grab the wine, the two of them probably still hook up from time to time. Which just struck Ferdinand as so, colossally unfair. This was supposed to be a party for singles to commiserate with one another, not for on-again-off-again hookups to smugly check each other out and feel satisfied with their sex lives.

“Here we go!” Lorenz pulled down the bottle and triumphantly offered it to Ferdinand. It, predictably, had a lacy label with a red rose on it. Any animosity he may have been feeling at Lorenz’s successful sex life fizzled out. Sure, Ferdinand was still a little jealous, but Lorenz was his friend and he was also happy for him.

Ferdinand poured himself a glass, swirled, sniffed, and sipped. This really was good wine. “So who all is coming tonight?”

“You know, the usual crowd,” Claude said, looking amused at how seriously Lorenz and Ferdinand were taking their drinks.

“Like who?”

“You know. Sylvain, Dimitri, Ingrid… Hilda’s putting her makeup on in the bathroom right now and Raphael is out grabbing us pizzas. Even Bernadetta promised she’d come. Also Dorothea, Edelgard…” Claude trailed off, then gave Ferdinand a pointed look.

Ferdinand knew he was being baited into asking, but he couldn’t help the thought that popped into his head.  _ If Edelgard is coming, then maybe… _

Ferdinand took the bait. “Was Hubert invited?”

Claude grinned like a cat, knowing he’d caught his mouse. “Why, yes. He was invited. Edelgard said she’d force him to come, so we’ll see if he turns up.”

“Oh.” Ferdinand stared down into his glass, swirling the liquid there and trying to convince himself that it was his single sip of wine that made his cheeks feel hot. “That’s good then.”

“Is it, now?” Lorenz joined in on the teasing. “What’s so good about it?”

Thankfully, at that moment Raphael burst into the kitchen carrying more pizzas than seemed entirely reasonable.

“Hope you’re hungry!” Raphael announced as he started setting the pizzas out. “I have a couple of bags of chips still in my car, too, since when I was texting Dedue earlier he said he’d be bringing some homemade spinach dip!”

Claude gave Ferdinand one last sly glance before turning his attention to Raphael and talking food logistics with him. Lorenz and Ferdinand, meanwhile, went back into the apartment’s main room to sit on the couch and sip wine together.

More and more people kept filtering into Claude’s apartment until the party really got going in earnest. Ferdinand felt the warmth of too many bodies in a single space, and it made him feel a little bit more alive. He stayed sitting with Lorenz until he finished his wine, then he got up and mingled, floating seamlessly from conversation to conversation until he’d said hello to almost everyone he knew. He finally settled into a group with Dorothea and Petra.

“Ferdie!” Dorothea said. “I was just telling Petra that I can’t believe she’s still single. Tell her how amazing she is and how you can’t believe she hasn’t found anyone yet.”

“You’re wonderful, kind, intelligent, and beautiful, Petra,” Ferdinand said sincerely. “Any partner would be lucky to have you.”

“Thank you, Ferdinand. I believe it is the barrier of my language that makes dating difficult.”

“Who needs talking? Use some body language instead! That’s what I do when my date is a total bore.” Dorothea’s phone buzzes and she pulls it out to check her texts. “Oh! Edie’s on her way right now.”

Ferdinand’s heart leaped into his throat entirely without his permission. “Is she alone?”

Dorothea raised an eyebrow at him. “She didn’t say, but I doubt she’s bringing a date to a singles party.”

“No, not a date, just…”

“Want me to text her back and ask if she managed to drag Hubie along with her?”

“Hubert? Who mentioned anything about Hubert?”

Dorothea put a hand on her hip. “You did when you asked if Edie was bringing anyone. Who else would she be bringing? Who else would you care enough to ask about?”

Ferdinand swallowed hard. How was everyone able to read his mind tonight? “I’m gonna go get another drink.”

By the time he returned Dorothea and Petra had blessedly gone on to a different topic and he was able to jump into the conversation as if he hadn’t just retreated in embarrassment. In fact, Petra asks him about his gig last summer as a horseback riding instructor at a day camp. He got so caught up in gushing about the horses and the kids he taught that he didn’t notice Dorothea’s eye’s slowly drifting from him to something very interesting happening behind him. It was only when he was recommending Petra join him as an archery instructor this upcoming summer that Dorothea interrupted.

“Don’t look now, Ferdie,” She said. “But Edie just got here, and she’s not alone.”

Ferdinand looked. Hubert stood by the door, having a heated conversation with Edelgard. And… Wow. He looked good. Not just “good for Hubert’s standards.” Like, really,  _ really  _ good. 

Ferdinand remembered very clearly the moment he had felt his first realized his feelings for Hubert were more than a fleeting attraction. Ferdinand had glanced up from his book during one of their late-night study sessions to see that Hubert had fallen asleep on his book. The picture of him then was burned into Ferdinand’s memory. He was wearing a ratty old gray hoodie, with the hood stuffed partially under his head as a makeshift pillow. He’d been studying so much that Ferdinand was pretty sure he’d forgotten to shower for a few days, based on how greasy his hair had gotten. It fell in black strands over a pale, gaunt, exhaustion-ridden face. He’d probably been replacing meals with coffee recently. He’d certainly been replacing sleep with coffee. Hubert looked like a complete mess, but in that moment he seemed impossibly vulnerable to Ferdinand, impossibly precious. Ferdinand wanted nothing more than to protect him, to wrap him up in a blanket and let him finally rest. 

So he did. He packed up Hubert’s things for him, woke him, walked him back to his dorm, and literally tucked him into bed. He walked back to his own dorm as the sun rose and wondered what it meant that he had wished he could give Hubert a good night kiss, softly on the forehead. He doubted Hubert even remembered what happened back then. He was delirious with lack of sleep, and never mentioned it to Ferdinand after the fact.

The point was, Ferdinand had seen Hubert looking his absolute worst, and was endeared to him even then. His heart wasn’t equipped to handle Hubert looking his best. He must have had a haircut in the past week since Ferdinand had last seen him. It had been getting a bit long before, but now it was cut close to his head once more, with his bangs only just brushing his cheekbones. It looked fluffy, too, like Hubert had just showered earlier and then toweled it dry until it poofed and stuck out in a couple places. (Because of course Hubert would never blow dry his hair.)

Then there were his clothes. Ferdinand was not prepared for the sight of Hubert in skinny jeans. Hubert was not a particularly well-muscled man, so it wasn’t as if the pants hugged his thighs in a particularly attractive way. Instead, they emphasized Hubert’s lankiness, his height. Ferdinand loved how long and slender every inch of Hubert was, and had spent more than one evening imagining those slender fingers tracing his own skin. The flannel over a band shirt completed his effortlessly hot, semi-goth look perfectly. He looked like the kind of guy you’d meet at a concert and would immediately want to make out with in the alley out back.

But the most attractive part of him, as always, was his sharp green eyes. Green eyes which were currently focused on Edelgard. Ferdinand didn’t know what he would do if those eyes turned towards him.

Ferdinand suddenly had an acute need to fix his hair.

“Excuse me,” he said hastily to Dorothea and Petra. “Bathroom.”

Claude had a huge apartment, perfect for hosting parties. That also meant that it had multiple bathrooms. Ferdinand retreated to the one furthest from the door, praying he would be less likely to be disturbed there. Hopefully, no one had chosen it as a solitary spot to hook up in.

Ferdinand tried the doorknob and from inside a weak, familiar voice squeaked a reply. “Occupied!”

“Bernadetta,” Ferdinand began. “Are you actually using the bathroom, or just hiding in it?”

There was a long silence.

“Bernadetta?” Ferdinand tried again.

“Bernadetta,” came a voice from behind him. “Please open the door. Ferdinand needs to use the bathroom.”

Ferdinand looked behind him to see Edelgard standing there. A moment later the bathroom door creaked open.

“Sorry. I figured since there are multiple bathrooms that people could just use the other one.”

“No, it’s fine,” Ferdinand insisted. “I just want to use the mirror so I can fix my hair. You can stay while I do it if you want.”

“Oh, great!” Bernadetta brightened up immediately and retreated into the bathroom.

“Okay, but I’m coming in too,” Edelgard insisted as she also went into the bathroom.

_ So much for running away _ , Ferdinand thought. But still, he was at this party to have fun with his friends. Hiding away in the bathroom wasn’t the way to do that, so he supposed he was glad for the company.

Bernadetta goes back to sitting on the edge of the tub and Edelgard sits with her. Meanwhile, Ferdinand examines himself in the mirror. His curls were holding up reasonably well. He combed his fingers through a couple of tangled bits before remembering one crucial bit of information. This bathroom was the closest one to Claude’s bedroom, and if Lorenz really was sleeping over some nights, then…

Ferdinand opened a drawer and found a huge stash of Lorenz’s beauty products, including individually wrapped disposable combs. He sent Lorenz a quick text to let him know he was borrowing his stuff, then got to work combing his hair.

“Hubert is just as hesitant as you about coming to this party,” Edelgard was saying behind him. “But at least he’s standing in the general vicinity of the party itself. Even if he’s determined to spend the whole night staring holes in his phone, that’s at least progress. Maybe you two could spend some time together. He really liked that bat hair clip you gave him for his birthday.”

“He did?”

“Yeah. He uses it to keep his bangs out of his eyes when he’s reading.”

That mental image was adorable enough to make Ferdinand’s breath catch in his throat.

“So, Hubert isn’t happy to be here?” Ferdinand tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. He’d arranged his hair well enough by that point, so he took the liberty of using a bit of Lorenz’s face moisturizer.

“You know him. He never wants to do anything that could ever be construed as fun.” Ferdinand could practically hear the smile forming in Edelgard’s voice. “Though, I think he started to warm up to the idea of a party once he realized you were here.”

Ferdinand nearly dropped the little tub of moisturizer he held in his hands. Instead, he took a deep breath, carefully set it down, and started applying Lorenz’ apple flavored lip balm before replying, “Really? I didn’t think he even saw me.”

“Oh, I think you were the very first thing he saw.”

Ferdinand’s heart raced as he tried to figure out what that could possibly mean. He contemplated the collar of his button-up shirt and undid the first few buttons for good measure.

“And clearly you noticed Hubert, too, if you’re asking about him,” Edelgard observed. Ferdinand didn’t respond, so she prodded again. “Is that why you ran in here to freshen up?”

Heat flooded Ferdinand all the way up to the tips of his ears. “Well, I think I’m done in here. How do I look?”

He turned towards the two women. Edelgard was smiling knowingly, just like Ferdinand knew she would. Bernadetta looked rather interested in the conversation, too.

“You look great,” Bernadetta told him.

“Thanks. Your good opinion means the world to me.” 

With that, Ferdinand quickly took his leave from the bathroom. As he went, he could swear he heard Edelgard tempting Bernadetta into leaving the bathroom by saying, “If those two start dancing together, you won’t want to miss it.”

When he returned to the party, his eyes automatically went to the spot by the door where Hubert had been standing, but he’s gone. So instead, Ferdinand looked around for Lorenz or Dorothea or really anyone he could spend time with to help take his mind off the man who had unintentionally been the focal point of his thoughts all night long. He soon spotted Dorothea and Petra dancing together, so he went to join them.

They formed the sort of loose triangle that friends do when they all dance in groups, sort of apart and sort of together. Ferdinand has always prided himself on being a reasonably good dancer, and while his ballroom training didn’t help him much at house parties, he still loved feeling the rhythm of the music guide his body. Besides, dancing with his friends at a house party gave him a degree of anonymity that he didn’t have in ballroom dancing. He didn’t have to worry about anyone judging his form, he could just be. And so he just was. He closed his eyes and let himself move.

When he opened his eyes again, he was met with that piercing green gaze that pinned him in place.

His breath caught in his chest from the intensity of it. Hubert still stood across the room from him, but the electricity that snapped between them in that moment made it feel like they were mere inches apart, like Ferdinand could have reached out and touched him.

Hubert quickly tore his gaze away, suddenly very interested in his phone. Ferdinand realized he had stopped dancing, but he somehow didn’t want to start again. He didn’t want to do anything that didn’t involve talking to Hubert, seeing his wry smile when Ferdinand managed to nail the perfect joke for Hubert’s dry sense of humor. Maybe their hands would even lightly brush against each other, the way their legs had under the table at the tea house. Maybe Hubert would accidentally rest his hand on Ferdinand’s and then keep it there.

“Ferdie, you look like a caveman who just discovered fire,” Dorothea shouted above the music. “It’s not like he’s a stranger. Go talk to him!”

“I… But what if…” Ferdinand stammered weakly, knowing his protests wouldn’t be heard above the noise anyway. Hubert was still staring resolutely at his phone. Ferdinand couldn’t tell if he was blushing or if it was just the pink lighting Claude had put on. “Okay. I’ll go talk to him.”

_ You’ve talked to Hubert a million times before _ , Ferdinand reminded himself.  _ This will be just like that. You’ll bicker a little bit. He’ll say something that will unintentionally make your heart race. You’ll want to kiss him but won’t. You’ll go home with that warm, fluttery feeling in your stomach. Nothing different from usual _ .

So Ferdinand put on his best smile and raised his voice loud above the music, so he was practically shouting. "Hi! Having fun?"

Hubert finally glanced up from his phone, though he still clutched at it like a security blanket. He said something, but his voice was soft compared to the blaring speakers, and Ferdinand couldn’t really make it out.

"Sorry, can't really hear you over the music!" Ferdinand leaned closer in hopes of hearing more clearly. Instead, his efforts resulted in his smelling the clean scent of Hubert’s skin. He really must have had a shower earlier. He smelled like fresh linen. "You said you're having fun?"

Hubert frowned slightly and tilted his head, cupping his ear in Ferdinand’s direction. Again, Ferdinand could only catch the tail end of what Hubert said. “...annoying and loud."

Ferdinand’s heart sank. "Oh! If I'm annoying you, then..."

Hubert looks surprised and starts talking again. It’s still hard to hear him, but he’s shaking his head as if to say that Ferdinand misunderstood him, then gestures towards the sliding door that leads out to Claude’s balcony. "Good idea! I could use some air."

Hubert leads Ferdinand through the crowd with the grace of a snake, carefully maneuvering so that he doesn’t need to actually touch anyone to make his way through the press of bodies. They get a couple of looks, most noticeably from Dorothea who gives Ferdinand a big thumbs up. He tries his best to ignore it.

As soon as they’re outside, the cool night air hits Ferdinand like a balm on his fevered skin.

“Better,” Hubert said, his voice now as deep and clear as ever. “I can hear myself thinking again.”

Ferdinand aired out the front of his shirt a bit. He hadn’t realized he'd gotten a bit sweaty from dancing. It wasn’t a lot, just that pleasant sheen of heat across his skin that he adored. He liked the way it felt when he stepped into the cold night even more.

"Yeah, I didn't realize how hot it was getting in there." Ferdinand looked out over the balcony, admiring the beautiful horizon in front of them. "Plus, Claude has a great view."

Hubert hesitated a moment before responding. “Uh… yeah. I guess it was stuffy in there… The view is nice, though. It’s even a full moon.”

The observation took Ferdinand by surprise, coming from Hubert. "I was about to make a joke about you being a vampire, but I guess the full moon is more of a werewolf thing, huh?"

“Clever. I haven’t heard that one before.” His voice was thick with sarcasm. “I just wanted to point it out. The sky is clear and it’s full of stars. It’s...pretty.”

"Um, yeah. It is." Ferdinand looked up at the moon. It really was lovely. "I didn't think you were one to appreciate things like that."

“...I can appreciate things like this, too. Things that are...beautiful.” Hubert paused. “...Must not be very fitting for your image of me.”

Ferdinand leaned on the banister and looked directly, unabashedly at Hubert. Hubert looked a bit surprised at the sudden scrutiny, but Ferdinand ignored it. He was trying to figure out what his image of Hubert really was. Despite his feelings for the man, Hubert was no romance novel hero. He was no knight in shining armor. But he wasn’t the gothic nightmare or villain or spoilsport that Ferdinand sometimes teased him for being, either. Then, with a sudden jolt of shame, Ferdinand realized that he was teasing, just like old times, while Hubert was trying to be sincere.

"Sorry,” Ferdinand said. “I'm afraid I'm falling into our old habits of bickering tonight. My image of you isn't as bad as all that. It hasn't been for years."

“At least that makes one person.” Hubert sighed and shook his head. Ferdinand tried to discern what Hubert meant. That his image of Ferdinand was the same as it ever was? That his image of himself was still poor? “...Anyways, I meant what I said earlier. I am shocked you are at this party.”

"No more shocked than I am to see you here!" Ferdinand exclaimed with a laugh.

Hubert laughed a little at that. It was a surprisingly nice sound. A bit dark and dangerous, but not in a bad way. “Not willingly. But… I meant more because of the reason for this party, if you know what I mean...”

Ferdinand had to raise his eyebrows at that. "You're surprised I'm still single?"

Hubert nodded. “Yeah… I thought you might be seeing someone by now, or at least interested in a particular person.”

This change in conversation topic was… Well, Ferdinand didn’t quite know how to respond. Because there was one big reason why he was still single. He’d been on dates, sure, but none of them went anywhere because no matter how much he liked the person he went out with, he liked Hubert more. So of course there was someone he was interested in. Whether he should risk telling Hubert that was another question entirely.

Screw it. He’d casually flirted with Hubert before, dropped small hints before. What was one more implication? It wasn’t going to lead anywhere anyway.

"Who says I'm not? Interested in someone, that is."

Hubert’s expression changed, though Ferdinand couldn’t exactly pinpoint what emotion was now on his face. "Oh… that must be nice. I hope it works out for you."

Ferdinand chuckled a little, in a sort of sad way. He might as well keep going, spilling his heart to Hubert without him even knowing that he was the object of Ferdinand’s affection. "Thank you, but I doubt it will."

Hubert’s previously fraught expression was replaced with confusion. "Why is that? Is the person already dating someone else?"

"No, but there are plenty of other reasons someone wouldn't want to date me. I've tried to... I don't know, drop hints? But I think he mostly puts up with me." Ferdinand’s mind was wandering now. He was remembering all the times Hubert had rolled his eyes at Ferdinand, had contradicted him, or fought with him. But there were also other moments. There was the time Hubert came to Ferdinand’s dorm room while Ferdinand was sick in bed to deliver color-coded notes from the lecture he’d missed. There were shared smiles over steaming mugs. There was so, so much beyond the occasional fights. "But then he'll say some little joke that he knows only I would understand, or he'll reference a book he knows we've both read and... Well, what am I supposed to do with that? Keep hoping?"

Hubert was listening attentively now. "...I am not the best person to ask for romance advice. You know that by now. Have you ever seen me on a date?" Ferdinand hadn’t. It was one of those little details that fed Ferdinand’s feelings and gave him foolish hope. Hubert looked back at the moon. "But if I were you? I would confront him about it. I do not see how anyone would refuse you."

"Really?” The words made Ferdinand’s stomach flip, but he knew what Hubert probably meant. He was imagining someone else, a makebelieve suitor who would be charmed by Ferdinand. Hubert wasn’t imagining himself as the one needing to reject or accept Ferdinand’s affections. “You don't see how  _ anyone _ could turn me down?"

"Well, in theory, yeah,” Hubert said. “I can recall you having plenty of dates or random people asking for your number when we were finishing our time at university."

Ferdinand searched his face. Hubert wasn’t one for empty flattery. The exact opposite, in fact. He was one for brutal truths.

"What about you?" Ferdinand asked, his voice nearly cracking over his nerves. He just barely managed to keep his words steady, so as not to betray himself.

"What about me?"

Ferdinand took the plunge. "Would you turn me down?"

"...Me?" Hubert’s grip on the balcony railing became white-knuckled. He looked out into the night rather than meeting Ferdinand’s eyes. "Well… no. I would not turn you down, if you were to hypothetically erm… ask me out."

"Hubert..." Ferdinand swallowed hard. "I've been dancing around the fact that I'm totally smitten with you."

"F-Ferdinand..." He glanced at Ferdinand. He had another one of those unreadable expressions on his face. "You.... you are not seriously suggesting that the one you have feelings for is… me?" Each word he spoke was quieter than the last.

"Well, I can think of one way to prove it to you." Ferdinand dared to take a step closer. "Do you think we'd get kicked out of this singles party if I kissed you right now?"

Hubert’s eyes widened, giving Ferdinand a clear view of that gorgeous, deep green. "Well… we could test it out and see."

Ferdinand put a hand on the back of Hubert’s head, fingers tangling in the short strands there, and pulled him into a kiss that made him feel like his legs had been kicked out from under him. He was kissing Hubert Vestra. Serious, solemn Hubert Vestra. The same Hubert who never deigned to go on a date with anyone.  _ That _ Hubert was kissing him back. They were soft kisses, closed mouth brushes of soft lips together. But they were everything.

When he pulled away from Hubert, Ferdinand said, "Your hair is so soft..."

And it was. The freshly washed strands were silky against fingertips, much smoother than Ferdinand had ever imagined. Granted, all the time he had imagined kissing Hubert, his hair was not the first thing on Ferdinand’s mind. 

Hubert followed Ferdinand as he pulled away, as though he were chasing another kiss but wasn’t sure if he was allowed to take it. He raised a shaking hand to Ferdinand’s cheek and Ferdinand leaned into the touch.

"O-oh, thanks." Hubert ran a thumb across Ferdinand’s cheekbone. "...You smell very nice. Sweet even."

Heat rose to the tips of Ferdinand’s ears. "I, uh, may have freshened up in the bathroom when I saw you arrive."

Hubert graced him with a smile and let out another darkly beautiful laugh that threatened to make Ferdinand melt. "I have seen you in your laziest sweats, hair up, and wearing a face mask when staying overnight for a project. You do not have to freshen up for me." 

Hubert moved his thumb to Ferdinand’s chin, tilting him close for another kiss. Ferdinand really did melt then, fully and completely collapsing into Hubert’s chest. He opened his mouth and let Hubert do with him as he wished. Ferdinand trusted him completely, to be as gentle or rough as Ferdinand needed, to take care of him. He trusted Hubert more than he could ever have thought possible when they first met. So when Hubert slid their tongues together, when he stole Ferdinand’s breath and gripped him hard, Ferdinand loved every second of it. He loved feeling Hubert’s passion, a beast that was so often restrained. Hubert was not often upfront or talkative about his emotions, but  _ this _ , this was more proof of Hubert’s feelings than any words could ever be.

Ferdinand eventually needs to break the kiss with a gasp for air. He wanted more, wanted to kiss Hubert all night, to never leave this magical moment with the stars covering them more softly than any blanket ever could. But he needed to catch his breath first. So he softly panted out soft breaths while Hubert gently ran his hand through Ferdinand’s hair. He found that standing there in the circle of Hubert’s arms, a hand playing with his ginger locks, might be just as nice as kissing the other man.

Then Hubert leaned forward to kiss him again and Ferdinand decided that no, kissing was absolutely better.

Their lips had just touched, just barely, when Ferdinand heard the sound of the sliding balcony door open. “Hey! Who’s hiding out here on-”

The two of them immediately broke their kiss and jumped back from each other, eyes turning on the intruder. 

"Oh! Sylvain! We were just... um..." Ferdinand looked to Hubert helplessly. "Kissing?"

Hubert looked completely unimpressed by Ferdinand’s honest answer.

"I can see that! Ha! I didn't think you had it in you, Vestra!" Sylvain looked as pleased to have caught them as a cat would be to have caught a canary in its teeth. Ferdinand had no doubt that by tomorrow, the story of the two of them kissing on the balcony would be spread through their college friend group and beyond. "Though, you do know this is a singles’ party, yeah?"

"Yeah, well, I think Hubert and I were just about to head back to my place anyway, unless..." Ferdinand gave Hubert a look that he hoped was inviting, because he was certainly thinking dirty thoughts. Then he realized something. "Oh! Except you came here with Edelgard, didn't you?"

Hubert nodded, looking as disappointed by that fact as Ferdinand felt. "Uhh yeah… I was supposed to take her back home after this if she decided to drink."

Sylvain lifted a single brow. "Edelgard huh? Well, yours truly could always take her home."

"No." Hubert’s response was practically a reflex, based on how rote Sylvain’s offer was in the first place.

"It's okay. We can wait until tomorrow. Maybe you can take me to a coffee shop for a real date and for now we can go back inside and..." Ferdinand's face fell. "Not dance together, since it's supposed to be a singles' party."

Hubert’s expression is bright, though, apparently still considering the prospect of tomorrow, of sitting in a coffee shop together once more, but this time being able to touch each other freely instead of accidentally brushing legs under the table. They could even hold hands this time, for the entire date if they wished. Mug of tea in one hand and Hubert’s hand in the other, huh? Didn’t sound too bad.

"Right, uh-huh, of course,” Hubert said. “I'd like that."

"I mean, yeah, but the point of a singles party is to mingle." Sylvain gave them a lascivious look. "So, as long as you two aren't sucking faces on the dance floor, you could get away with it?"

"What do you say, Hubert? Willing to join me for a dance? I know you don't like the music, but..." Ferdinand’s expression was hopeful.

Hubert nodded slowly. "Yeah. I mean, I kind of have two left feet, but if that doesn't bother you too much we can dance."

"Doesn't bother me at all."  
  



End file.
